In a conventional copying machine, the operational mode is determined by the operator who successively sets, on the operation panel, setting items such as a paper size, the rate of enlargement/reduction and the like. Thereafter, the start key is pressed to make a copying operation in the operational mode thus set.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 5-112064 for example discloses a printer apparatus arranged such that an operation setting paper sheet in the form of a mark sheet is read by a scanner to analyze the contents thereof, that there is recognized, as the paper size for example, the selection item of A4, B4, B5 or the like on which a mark has been put, and that the operational mode is automatically set to the marked item.
In a copying machine set forth in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 5-63868, there is used, as the operation setting paper sheet, a sheet having a predetermined bar code put thereon at each corner thereof, and this operation setting paper sheet is placed on an automatic document feed device together with a sheaf of documents, such that the operation setting paper sheet is fed first to a document platen to automatically set the operational mode, likewise in the printer apparatus above-mentioned. Thereafter, an operation of copying a document subsequently fed to the document platen, is executed in the operational mode thus set. This saves the labor of setting various items on the operation panel.
However, when the copying operation is repeated using such an operation setting paper sheet, an erroneous operation readily takes place due to a reading error. More specifically, since the operation setting paper sheet is required for each copying operation, an operation setting paper sheet to be actually used for each operation is copied each time from the original operation setting paper sheet. Such a respective copying operation causes the quality of the image of a predetermined format on the operation setting paper sheet to be lowered or the image of the predetermined format to be positionally shifted. As a result, the problem is presented in that the image may not be read, or the read image is erroneously analyzed, resulting in an erroneous operation.
On the other hand, the following problems are encountered when such a method of setting the operational mode by marks put on an operation setting paper sheet as above-mentioned, is applied, as it is, to apparatus such as a digital copying machine or the like having a variety of functions for each of which a large number of items are to be set. The operation of putting a mark to each of all setting items rather lowers the working efficiency and maneuverability. If there is an omission of entry, the copying operation is executed in an operational mode which has not been expected by the operator. As a result, an erroneous operation readily takes place.
It may be proposed that provision is made such that, for example, a default data set at delivery from the factory, is automatically set for the setting item for which no mark has been put on any of the selection items thereof. However, since the operator does not always recognize what is set by a default data, such a proposal cannot sufficiently solve the problem that a copying operation is executed in an operational mode which has not been expected by the operator.